For someone who lives in chilly San Francisco, I own surprisingly few sweaters. I’ve been slowly adding to my collection. Slow — because I want to ensure that any new additions will get a lot of wear. I’ve been looking for a V-neck sweater that’s not too long for my petite frame. It also had to be easy to style. What better way to test the versatility of a garment than by creating multiple outfits with it? This post is part review and part styling ideas.

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The Sweater

I went with the Everlane Soft Cotton V-neck. Its boxy cut appealed to me — I didn’t want something too clingy or tight fitting. I also liked its slightly cropped length. As a petite person, I love cropped lengths because that means that maybe the garment won’t be too long on me. (If you’re looking for a warmer sweater, Everlane makes a more standard cashmere v-neck sweater and an oversized one. Naadam also offers a very reasonably priced $75 cashmere sweater in a handful of colors, though it’s unisex sizing and seems long for a petite frame.)

I’m a dress size 4. I ordered both the XXS and XS to try on. The XXS felt tighter in the sleeves, so I went with the XS for a more comfortable fit. The sleeves, amazingly, are not too long on me. The weave of the fabric is the same as the Soft Cotton Boatneck (review) and the Soft Cotton Crew. It didn’t strike me as particularly soft, but sure, you can call it soft, I guess. It’s a medium weave — not loose, but not particularly tight. This sweater is on the thinner side, while not feeling thin per se. The weight feels perfect for transitional weather like spring or early fall days.

The v-neck placement is good; it’s not too low. Some people complain that the neck is too wide. And while it’s on the wide side, I didn’t find it problematic. The sweater covered my bra straps.

My only complaint is that it only comes in five colors at the moment: washed black (which reads as a dark gray to me), heather gray (on the model), light pink, blue melange and navy (though that color is almost sold out.) It also came in ochre and a mid blue, but those colors are gone. More colors, please! The sweater is available in XXS to XL and is ethically made in a factory in Fujian province, China.

I bought it in washed black in October and reach for it often. It’s definitely turned out to be a wardrobe staple for me. Here’s a few ways I’ve styled it. For reference, I’m 5′ 4″ and wearing the XS.

Look 1 – Skinny Jeans + Ankle Boots

This is the throw-on-some-clothes-and-run-out-the-door look because I have to catch the bus in 5 minutes. It’s casual, unfussy, and simple. I like the boxy shape of the sweater with skinny jeans.

Look 2 – Skinny Jeans + Heels

For a more pulled-together look, I tucked the sweater into my jeans, swapped out the ankle boots for heels, and added a small leather bag.

Look 3 – Puffy Jacket + Sneakers

Swap out the heels for sneakers and add a puffy jacket for a sporty look on a crisp day. I wore this for a mid-day coffee run in the neighborhood with a friend.

Look 4 – Moto Jacket + Ankle Boots

A boxy moto jacket makes everything cooler. Again, I tucked in the sweater — the proportions work out better with the jacket that way.

Look 5 – Pencil Skirt

Make it work appropriate with a wool pencil skirt. (Perhaps you are noticing that I wear a lot of black. Yes, I do. This skirt is technically dark gray, though.) Ankle boots and a minimalist bag complete the look.

Look 6 – Wide Leg Pants

Looking towards spring, this sweater is appropriate with lighter weight pants too. I tucked the sweater into these cotton twill pants, keeping the emphasis on the wide leg silhouette.

Look 7 – Layered Over a Tank Dress

The sweater makes a nice layer over a tank dress. I wanted to shorten the sweater’s natural length to right above my waist for a more flattering proportion. Here’s a trick for that: I gathered up the bottom of the sweater, secured it with a hair tie, and then just tucked the bit that stuck out under the sweater.

In just a few month, this sweater has become a versatile building block in my wardrobe. Trying to imagine many outfits with a piece of clothing has been a great test for me to make sure I’ll wear what I buy. If you have other styling ideas for V-neck sweaters, I’d love to hear them.

First two images: Everlane site

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